Saints vs. Cowboys - Cowboys hang on 24-17, Saints first loss

The Dallas Cowboys beat the New Orleans Saints (and the negative expectations of former Indy Colts Coach now NBC Analyst Tony Dungy) 24-17. The Saints dream of an undefeated season is over. Now, the Indianapolis Colts remain as the NFL's lone unbeaten club at 14 and 0.

Saints vs. Cowboys was a great game to watch. The Cowboys had their best offensive game plan of the season. Credit must be given to Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett for mixing short and "zero" or "smoke" (where the receiver turns and waits for an immediate throw from the quarterback rather than running down field) with his array of mid-range and play-action deep passes. Moreover, the Cowboys really started off on the attack offensively.

The Cowboys threw early and often. The first score was a 60-yard bomb off play-action to their new star pass catcher, Miles Austin. They completed 8 of 15 third-down attempts. Tony Romo was excellent, throwing 32 times, completing 24 for 312 yards and one touchdown. What's more, Tony made great throws, placing the ball especially well on deep passes and crossing routes. He's playing at his best this December.

The Cowboys Defensive success was not due to an elaborate scheme, but pure physical play. In other words, the Cowboys front-four just outmuscled the Saints offensive line, stuffed their running game, and covered their receivers like blankets. And Linebacker Demarcus Ware (who wasn't expected to play after his terrible neck injury against the San Diego Chargers last Sunday) was a force with two sacks and two forced fumbles. His last one ended the Saints final drive and insured the Cowboys' win.

Saints almost came back to tie it

The Saints were down by 21, but then altered their game plan, going to four-wide-receiver sets, and using an unusual three-receiver to one side of the offensive line formation, that the Cowboys failed to play straight-on man for man. With it, the Saints scored 14 points and by the middle of the 4th quarter, it really looked like they could come back and tie it.

That prospect was all the more greater when Cowboys kicker Nick Folk missed what should have been a routine 27-yard field goal try with the Saints down by seven and the Superdown crown going nuts. After his miss, the fans went berserk and the Saints had their chance.

For some reason Saints Head Coach Sean Payton elected to throw a series of crossing routes and not sideline patterns. That's one change over the years I just don't understand: the lost art of the deep sideline pass. Yes, it calls for seven steps, but when you don't have time-outs and need to get downfield in a hurry and stop the clock, it's the perfect strategy. The Oakland Raiders under Head Coach John Madden, Quarterback Ken Stabler, and Wide Receiver Fred Biletnikoff, ran it to perfection.

We just don't see that any more.

What we saw was a Cowboys team clamping down on the Saints deep patterns with a cover-two scheme, rushing four and getting pressure on Saints Quarterback Drew Brees, who came into the game as the NFL's leading passer. But even with the Cowboys' early domination, Brees did make a game of it, and must be wondering what might have been if Saints Wide Receiver Devery Henderson had not dropped a long pass in the end zone in the 3rd quarter.

Tony Romo points to Tony Dungy's comment as motivation

After the game, Tony Romo told the NFL Network's Alex Flanagan that a tape of Tony Dungy saying that the Cowboys had "no chance" was played to motivate the team on NBC's Sunday telecast of Football Night in America. Well, it worked.

The win now has the Cowboys at 9 and 5 and keeping pace with the NFC East division-leading Philadelphia Eagles. If the Eagles beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, they will be one game ahead of the Cowboys.